La., others push natural gas vehicles

Louisiana is among 13 states urging automakers to support a compressed natural gas vehicle initiative.

The initiative, led by Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin and Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, is an attempt to convince automakers to design and sell more suitable natural gas-powered vehicles that can be used by public fleets and consumers.

“Natural gas vehicles provide clean, affordable transportation that can increase our nation’s energy security and bolster economic development,” Hickenlooper said in a news release. “We believe there is strong interest in natural gas vehicles and we want to leverage the collective purchasing power of state fleets to jumpstart that market. These meetings will help establish a mutually beneficial partnership between the 13 states on the agreement and the auto companies.”

The governors of 13 states have promised automakers the state governments will explore ways to buy more CNG vehicles for state fleets.

Other participating states include Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Utah, Maine, New Mexico, West Virginia, Kentucky, Texas, Ohio and Mississippi.